Valve



"(N0 Model.)

1). D. BUICK.

VALVE.

Patented July 7, 188 5 Inventor @a/vizi L9 #3 La/.

Witnesses NlTED STATES I Erica.

PATENT V-ALVE'.

EBPECIFICATION forming part of-Letters Patent No. 321,885, dated July 7, 1885,

Application tiled December 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all zuhont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID D. BUICK, of Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valves, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a-vertical section on the line :0 :0, Fig. 4L. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the valvestcm and balance piston. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the balance-piston; and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the complete valve,with the floatlever cut off.

My invention consists in the combination, with the valve stem of a float-valve, of a balance-piston operated by the water-pressu re and operating on the float-lever which moves the valve stem, whereby the water pressure, against which the valve closes, assists in closing the valve.

E represents the case of the valve, V being the inlet and N the discharge-pipe.

D represents the cover of case E, secured thereto by screws, and perforated to receive the valve-stem O.

T represents the valve-seat, formed within the case E.

0 represents the valve-stem, which is made hollow throughout its entire length to receive the balance-piston K, the hollow therein being smaller at the lower end, as shown at t. This contraction of the bore is to prevent the piston K from passing through the lower end of the valve-stem, and this object may be attained by putting a stop-pin in said valve-stem, though the manner shown allows the part of the bore which contains the piston K to be as large as or larger than the diameter of the valve-seat, and is therefore in some cases preferable.

n represents a washer, of leather or other suitable material, secured to the lower end of the valve-stem by a hollow nut, r. The washer n is of course a ring.

XVhen the valve is to be used in a place where leakage between the valve-stem and cover D is immaterialas, for instance, in the tank of a water-closet-no stuffing-box need be used around the valve-stem. In other cases an ordinary stufiing-box may be used.

K represents apiston fitted into the bore in valve-stem C, so as to slide freely therein, and is provided at its lower end with a cup-leather, m,which expands when water is forced into it,

so as to hug closely the wall of the bore in the valvestem and make a water tight joint. The valve-stem is slotted on two opposite sides from its top to a point just below the top of piston K when this is in its lowest position.

B represents a lever pivoted at b to a lug on cover D, and extends through the slot in stem O, resting on the top of piston K. The other end of leverB is made in the shape of a U, as shown at S, to receive the float-lever A. This float-lever is pivoted at a to a lug on cover D, and its short arm is divided by a slot into two arms, f 9, between which is embraced a pin, W, secured to the stem 0, and reaching across the bore thereof. The short arm of lever A plays in the slot in the valve-stem C. To the long arm of lever A is attached any suitable float. (N 0t. shown in the drawings.)

' The Whole valve is intended to be used in a tank capable of holding water; but as this is a common feature of all fioat-valves, I have not deemed it necessary to show it here.

The operation of my invention is as follows: WVhen the valve is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the tank in which the valve is contained is supposed to be filled with water to the prescribed height, and the long arm of lever A is raised by the float thereon, so as to force the washer n on the valve-stem firmly against the valve-seat, thus shutting off any flow of water through the valve. If, now, the water be drawn out of the tank, as by lifting the pull in a watercloset, the water in the tank falls and allows the long arm of lever Ato descend,

and the action of the short arm of lever A on pin IV raises the valve-stem and opens the valve. \Vhen the outlet of the tank is closed, water rises in the tank and raises the float, thus forcing up the long arm of lever A and forcing the valve-stem toward its seat. The incoming current of water passes through the bore t, and presses against the lower end of piston K, leakage being prevented by the cup-leather m, thus forcing the piston upward and raising the free end S of lever B, which presses against lever A, and tends to raise it, so that the water'pressure, against which the valve works, aids in closing the valve. As the valve-stem approaches its seat, so that the water-way between the seat and stem becomes contracted, the resistance of the water to the movement of the stem increases, and in places where the water-pressu re is heavy no float of dimensions which could be practically used in a watercloset tank, and no float-lever which could be contained in such a tank, would close the valve; but as the water-way decreases the effect is to confine the water more closely and cause it to exert an increased pressure on piston K, and thus overcome the resistance of the water to the closing of the valve and enable the float to hold the valve tightly closed. I find by actual trial that with such a lever and float as are usually used in water closets this valve will seat firmly and noiselessly against a pressure of two hundred pounds.

It is evident that the effect of the piston K may be increased or decreased at will by making its end area larger or smaller in proportion to the end area ofthevalve-stem, and that it is possible to so proportion these areas that the piston K will, with a heavy waterpressure, close the valve. In practice I so proportion these parts that the weight-of the float acting on the long arm of lever A, plus the water-pressure on the end of the valvestcm, will overbalance the effect of the waterpressure on the piston.

This invention permits the use of a much shorter tloat leverthan must be used with any other valve, and ofa much smaller float, thus enabling the valve to be put in a very small tanlmvhich is adecided saving and advantage.

IVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fioatvalve, the combination of a hollow valve-stem, a pivoted float-lever connected with the valve-stem, and a balancepiston located within the hollow valve-stem valve-stem and adapted to receive the water pressure through said valve-stem, and a pivoted lever actuated by said piston and connected with the valve-closing mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with a valve-stem adapted to close a valve against a pressure of water,

and actuating mechanism connected therewith, a piston sliding in a cylinder and actuated by the water-pressure confined by said valve, and a pivoted lever connected both with said piston and with the valve-actuating mechanism,

whereby pressure 011 the said piston is transmitted through the said lever and tends to close the valve, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the valve case E, hollow valve-stem O, pivoted float-lever A, piston K, and pivoted lever B, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the hollow valvestem 0, having in its lower end the reduced opening t, the piston K, having thereon the cup-leather m, the pivoted lever B, working through a slot in the valve-stem, and the pivoted lever A, connected with the valve-stem, substantially as shown and described.

DAVID D. BUICK.

Vitnesses:

SUMNER CoLLINs, OYRUs E. LOTHROP. 

